Man of Steel (2013)

“What does the ‘S’ stand for?”

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Contrary to recent suggestion, I’m not the biggest fan of Superman. I don’t particularly like him, in fact, but oddly I do love him in my way. Like various pop culture properties, I associate him with someone special. Basically, I care by association.

As a teen, I’d buy his comic when Something Significant would happen, like every occasion he’d be killed “for real this time”. Usually my tastes ran to Moon Knight, The Question, and The Sandman. If you need more mainstream examples, I suppose I liked Batman and the X-books.

I also have happy memories of seeing the early Christopher Reeve movies and, later on, Smallville, with my family.

I even have a special place for Superman Returns. Say what you will about it, but I think it’s fun and has heart.

Unfortunately, this new Man of Steel has very little of either. It’s not “my” Superman and, right now, doesn’t even feel worth my explaining.

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Rated PG

143 minutes